A Guide to Thestrolo
by suitcaseofmemories
Summary: Once upon a time a man invented a game that is nowadays known as Thestrolo. A descendant compiled a guide. AU. Contains thestrals, ponies, fancy rings and loads of Ts. And no inebriation whatsoever.


**A/N:** Many thanks to peyton07 - girl, you were a great great help on this and I couldn't have done it without you. Much love and loads of hugs. It wouldn't be the same without your input.

**A/N 2:** Readers, I don't mind constructive criticism but please be respectful. I put a lot of thinking and hard work into this (and realised that I won't invent a game ever again). If you don't like it or you think it's crap, then that's okay. Tell me, if you have to. But please keep bashing comments to a minimum.

Character's aren't mine. Inspired by ponies. No, really. Ponies.

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**HISTORY**

**The Inventor**

Some 400 years after the first reports of Quidditch being played (reports made by Gertie Keddle, see 'Quidditch Through The Ages' by Kennilworthy Wisp for more detailed information on the history of this particular sport) the 54-year-old Thaddeus Teabag was responsible for the invention of the game that is widely known as Thestrolo. Thaddeus Teabag was a little known Thestral-breeder from a small village near Aberdeen who not only made his living from breeding these mysterious creatures but also enjoyed experimenting with all kinds of things. Due to this hobby he not only invented the Singing Nail Clipper but was also the first breeder to ever (accidentally) rear the in our time highly appraised Newfound Thestrals (although his portrait in the Ministry of Magic still claims that was 'in no way inebriated' when said accident happened).

**The Invention of the Game**

During a particularly hot summer several members the Teabag family found themselves playing a game of Quidditch when two of their rather worn out family brooms stopped flying altogether. Unwilling to give up the game and deal with the consequent defeat, Teabag's youngest daughter, 7-year-old Terafina, dared her five years older brother Theophilus whose broom also stopped working to continue the game on two of the Thestral Ponies that their father had accidentally bred some two years earlier. Teabag himself initially protested against the use of his crossbred species in a dangerous game such as Quidditch but quickly conceded when realisation hit him that his children had even more fun playing the game when riding the winged horses.

The fact that until that particular summer not one of his so-called 'Newfound Thestrals' had been bought by an interested party also played into his concession. In his mind already thinking up the many possibilities that the discovery of an actual use for his Newfound Thestrals could bring he declared a family-wide ban on brooms in Quidditch; this was only contested by his wife Tabitha who was scared for her family's well-being on the invisible horses. Although she could not be persuaded to cease worrying, her husband as well as her eleven children and her son-in-law could allay some of her concerns by casting strong safety spells. (It is also assumed that almost everyone in the family could see the winged creatures except for Teabag's wife, which caused her to worry in the first place.)

The oldest two of Teabag's children – Torque and Tisha, two die-hard Quidditch fans – however couldn't warm up to Thestral Quidditch like their siblings did. They participated out of loyalty and to not spoil their family's fun but could not accept that brooms had been substituted by flying horses. Teabag was saddened to see the spirit in their eyes ebb away throughout the summer and challenged himself to figure out a way to make all family members happy and willing to play a game as refreshing as Quidditch had originally been. Within a fortnight he invented a modification of Quidditch that bears very few similarities to the original game, but the whole family agreed that it was more fun to play on Thestral Ponies this way. Out of all his children it was Terafina who came up with the name 'Thestrolo' for the new game.

**The Players**

Thestrolo is considered to be quite dangerous due to the nature of the Thestral Ponies (i.e. they're invisible to anyone who hasn't seen death) and the players (i.e. only those that have seen death are able to see the creatures). This is considered to be a nonsensical rumour simply because of the connection that the Thestrals (and the Thestral Ponies) have with death. It is not any more dangerous than Quidditch.

The latter is an especially prominent argument. Only players who are exceptionally brave and dare to ride invisible horses throughout a game or players who have seen death (i.e. they saw someone die, however that may have come about, although often rumours about the players' viciousness are formed upon this particular aspect of their career) and are thusly able to see the horses participate in this sport.

Of course, no unfairness must occur, so if a team occupies an advantageous position because one or more of their members can see the horses, there must be equal numbers of seeing and non-seeing players on the field; i.e. each team must have the same amount of seeing and non-seeing players, however they may be in different positions.

A Thestrolo team consists of 5 players; one thug, two hitmen, one disputant and one fender who function as offensive, side, defensive players and goalkeeper respectively.

**The Equipment**

The professional game of Thestrolo is played on _Newfound Thestrals_, a crossbreed of Thestrals and Newfoundland Ponies. The Newfound Thestrals are approximately 14 hands tall, which describes their height as a good average between Thestrals (approx. 16.5 hh) and Newfoundland Ponies (approx. 11.5 hh). The Ministry classified this new crossbred species with 'XXX', however some may think that this classification is overrated.

Nowadays these creatures are commonly known as Newfound Thestrals, an abbreviated name of both species' names; any other mixed race of Thestrals and ponies is simply known as Thestral Ponies and they may be used in Thestrolo as well. (Side note: Crossbreeds of Thestrals and other Ponies may vary from the average height given in the paragraph above.)

The crossbreed of Thestrals and Newfoundland Ponies (or any other pony) is smaller than a fully grown Thestral, thus eliminating a fair number of possibilities to be injured by the mostly invisible creatures, for example players are less likely to be kicked when flying past and coming close to another player. The smaller wingspan does not only lessen the chances to collide with other players but is also necessary to provide a fair chance to actually interact with the other players. Due to their smaller stature they are also more agile than their Thestral counterparts.

Newfound Thestrals (and Thestral Ponies) are invisible like purebred Thestrals although particular sunlight angles and astrological constellations may let the beholder see a faint shimmer in the creatures' space. (They are also much more aesthetically pleasing to the eye, since they are less reptilian than Thestrals. They are covered in a short-haired black fur due to the dominant genes of the common pony while their wings look somewhat reptilian and are sans fur. The fur hair is often used for potions, wand cores and other purposes. Additionally, the Thestral Ponies look much more well-nourished and are of a robust build, quite unlike the skeletal figures of their Thestral ancestors.)

Professional teams advise to use only purebred Newfound Thestrals for Thestrolo as they are more suitable animals for this game than others due to their excellent mix of characteristics and traits that include but are not limited to stamina, strength, courage, resilience and obedience – qualities that allow the players to navigate the horses in any possible situation that may occur in a game of Thestrolo.

Each player carries a wooden bat called 'thaddle'. The thaddles are generally about 4 feet long and have a narrowly curved end. They are usually made from the wood of a yew tree, hard enough to shatter other trees as well as bones. However they are specifically suited to be used for hitting the thestrospheres. Families often purchase thaddles made from other wood, however professional teams swear by the yew thaddles.

As above mentioned, thestrospheres are played with in Thestrolo. Thestropheres are balls the size of approximately four inches; the spheres are made of enchanted iron that makes them lighter than iron usually is so as to avoid horrible injuries but it also allows for them to be hit without damaging the metal. There are five thestropheres in any game; one of them is engraved with the letter 'T', the other four are without engraving.

Furthermore, Thestrolo uses colored rings that are made out of the hair of a Newfound Thestral. There are seven rings in seven different colours (aqua, turquoise, russet, orange, violet, myrtle and silver) as well as two black ones and one gold ring, all of which show characteristics that are partly enchanted and partly due to the nature of the hair. They are approximately one foot and ten inches wide in diameter.

As it stands, an enchantment is cause for the different colours and another is used to make them visible to the human eye. They appear to be caught in a state between solid and gas, however that is a result of the invisibility of Thestrals and Newfound Thestrals. Having seen death does not make them permanently visible, though. They will often vanish into thin air, which is at times aided by another enchantment to keep the scoring a dynamic process.

**THE GAME**

Thestrolo is played on an open field that is 330 feet long and 270 feet wide. There is no restriction for height, however it is to be noted that the rings will not appear further up than 460 feet in the air.

Throughout the game, the thugs of each team must score goals by shooting their engraved 'T' thestrosphere through the coloured rings in the correct order (which is 'aqua, turquoise, russet, orange, violet, myrtle, silver'). Each goal scored through the correct ring earns the team 5 points; scoring through all seven goals in the correct order earns them additional 15 points, making it 50 points per completed round. If they score out of order, they will lose a point. This way of scoring means that thugs must not only be able to fly on their Thestral Pony and make full use of thaddle and thestrosphere but they (and the fenders) must also remember which ring is supposed to be next. Due to the disappearances and reappearances of the rings the main players and disputants are in constant motion and have to mentally keep up with not only their own efforts but also the other team's. The disputants will try to keep the thugs from scoring; it is their job to steal the thestrosphere from the opponent's team and to pass it on to their own thug. Fenders will try to fend off their opponent from the rings – which means they must also bear in mind the next correct ring for the opponent's team – and act as second disputant if needed. (Side note: When one or more rings disappear it may take a while for them to reappear. Sometimes some colours will appear while others won't. If the team has to score through a specific colour and it isn't on the field, they will have to wait and try to keep their adversary from scoring until it reappears.)

The hitmen play apart from their respective thugs, disputants and fenders. Each hitman has his own thestrosphere with which he must score a goal through one of the black rings; at the same time they must try to prevent the opponent team's hitmen from scoring. Any goal through one of the black rings earns the team 1 point. (Side note: When a black ring disappears, it will reappear in another place immediately.)

Everyone may score through the main rings and vice versa, however main goals must be scored using only the main thestrosphere and, of course, the order must be considered.

At one point in the game a golden ring will appear. If any team scores a goal through this ring with the main thestrosphere, they will earn 75 points and the game ends.

**SAFETY**

To prevent injuries that may be caused as an effect of not being able to see the creatures the saddles as well as the Thestral Ponies are covered with a myriad of safety spells. The most notable one is a spell that creates a bubble around the bodies of the creatures so that the players will not get closer than is possible while still being able to prevent injury. They will see this kind of safety bubble as a shimmery web around the creature, thus knowing where it is at all times and seeing the possible danger when flying too close to the wings or legs. This web will also mildly repel the players if they get extremely close.

The only exception to this safety bubble occurs when trying to steal the thestrosphere from an opponent. The web will still be visually active but it will cease providing an actual injury-prevention method; players will not be repelled.

Furthermore, all hooves will be marked with a similar spell that makes them appear as a shimmery web, thus letting the players know not to come too close to being kicked.

Other safety spells are wrought into the field and saddles; the creatures will also be charmed with a spell that keeps them from bolting.

**TRIVIA**

Several Muggle games were invented upon the principle of Thestrolo. However, only one has survived until this day. 'Polo' is still played in Britain, although it only a very small semblance with Thestrolo.


End file.
